Mage (ON HOLD)

Chapter 6-Mirrorblade

I moaned tiredly and leaned back against the bark of a stunted tree. It was seven hours after I had left the Academy, and, I noted wryly, I couldn't feel my legs any more. I'm not sure that's a good thing, I mused as I slumped to the ground, panting slightly. The trek had been long and hard, with several detours through long grass and miniature forests to avoid other travelers on the path. I was sure that I could defeat any troublemakers with both my hands tied behind my back and a severe case of the stomach cramps, but I didn't want to attract more attention than necessary. I groaned again, squeezing my eyes shut. What the heck am I saying? A severe case of the stomach cramps? Just go to sleep, Taya. Very good idea, me. I think that I'll take you up on that offer. Why thank you- Wait. What. The. Heck. You must be delirious, girl. Just go to sleep already. Sure, I'll sleep right awa- Go. To. Sleep.

...

I woke up with a gasp, my hands instinctively going for my staff and Syrovy, which were laying by my sides. Sitting bolt upright, I stared around at the predawn land with sweat rolling down my forehead and into my eyes, stinging and making me blink rapidly. Just a dream. It was nothing but a dream. I sighed and leaned back against my tree, rubbing my temples. Although I was fully in the world of the waking, I couldn't shake the images that had pursued me while I was asleep. The dark, rotten forest with a smell like brimstone hanging in the air... bursts of fire whipping through branches and setting trunks ablaze... and this... thing that followed me through the woods, with pitch-black skin and claw-like fingers, ready to rip and tear and shred. And its face... Or lack of one.

I shuddered and buried my face in my arms. The thing had no face. Just a blank, flat surface where a nose and eyes and a mouth would normally rest. And yet, I could feel it watching me, I could hear it whispering into my ears... It was going to steal my soul, take it for itself. I shivered, although I wasn't feeling particularly cold, and drew my legs up against my body. I didn't relax until the first rays of sunlight slipped over the horizon, and even then, all that I wanted to do was to run as fast as I could, back to the Academy, back to my safe and normal life. But I can't now. I have to continue.

Wincing as my sore, stiff muscles wailed in protest, I stood up, slung my pack over my back, and continued on my trek south.

...

The Mirrorblade jerked its head up, twisting its neck as it sensed the land around it. There was still no sign of its prey, its target, but Mirrorblade was unconcerned. It was a shadowhunter, the race of assassins that dwelt in the mountains and crept out every night to hunt. They were the greatest trackers in all of Araxia and Holtra, and Mirrorblade was the best. It had never failed to track down a target, because its way of tracking was unique.  Mirrorblade would come at them slowly, and never in the dead of the night. It would approach the target from afar, letting them get a good look at it before they tried to run. But by then, it was too late. They would be paralyzed by its blank, flat face and black skin. The victim would be rooted to the ground by terror, and Mirrorblade would come up to them slowly. When he was close enough, he would take his mirrorlike knife, the Arima Sustrai, and he would touch it to their bare skin.

The victim's soul would be slowly pulled out of them, through their muscles and flesh, and into the knife. The process was pure agony, of course.

And when he found the girl, he would do the same to her.

...

 As I continued my journey through Araxia on my second day, I noticed that dark thunderheads were gathering in the distance. "Great," I growled under my breath as I stopped walking and stretched. "Along with the whole getting chased and saving Araxia business, now I have a storm to deal with?" Shaking my head and muttering incomprehensible and undoubtedly crude things about storms in general, I sped up into an slow jog, heading for a small stand of trees ahead where I could take shelter from the rain that would come with the thunder and lightning.

As I plodded over to the trees, I reviewed techniques that I could use to shelter myself. I might be able to divert the rain from falling on top of me, but it might be better to raise a wall of stone that I can shelter underneath, instead. Although, I would be tired and hungry after I do something like that, so it might be better to not, just in case I need the rations for another time. I could even divert the storm entirely, but I doubt that I have enough skill with Wind to be able to pull that off...

I reached the first line of trees and slowed to a walk, running a hand through my hair. Whatever. I'll just bear the storm with the protection that the trees provide. Selecting the tree with the sturdiest branches and the widest leaves, I crouched down, pulled a bit of my cloak over my head, and waited for the storm to arrive.

I didn't have to wait long. Although the clouds had seemed to hover over the horizon, leagues away, a brisk wind had picked up and the churning masses arrived within minutes. The rain came first, hard and freezing as it sheeted down over my head. I shivered and hunched down even further; the tree was doing absolutely nothing to shield me. Within moments, I was soaked to the bone. A shiver ran up my spine and I thought, Why am I even under these trees? I may as well be in the open, where I can at least enjoy the view. It's not like I would get any more wet.

I stood up, shook off a few droplets that were tracing themselves down my forehead, and jogged out of the so-called shelter of the trees to the plains. The sky was beautiful, but terrible, at the same time. Dark gray clouds whirled and contorted, with flashes of lightning illuminating their bellies. I laughed out loud and raised my arms, welcoming the rain and the storm.

Moments later, a bolt of lightning dropped from the sky and crashed into the tree where I had been sitting, setting it alight.

...

I cried out and stumbled back, instinctively retreating from the wave of heat that washed over me. The tree groaned and fell, almost in slow motion, lighting other trees ablaze and sending a spray of sparks into the sky. Within moments, the entire stand was ablaze. I stood and stared, frozen, at the flames. If I hadn't moved a minute ago, I would be... I gulped and took another step back, my hands wrapped tightly around my staff while Syrovy hung safely in its sheath. With a creaking moan, another tree fell... Directly onto the grass. Within moments, a burning wall was raised that slowly crept towards me. A jolt of pure terror washed through my body, and I turned and started to run.

I didn't get far. When I had only taken a few steps, another flash of lightning plummeted from the clouds and exploded directly in front of me. "Are you kidding me?!" I screamed as I skidded to a halt. I spun around, intending to run between the flames, until I realised that the first fire had curved around on each side, effectively blocking off any escape route. I was trapped. There was only one thing left to do.

The rain is doing absolutely nothing to stop the flames, and the fire would simply burn over a wall of earth. Wind would just cause more damage by spreading the blaze... I have to use Fire.

My mouth contorted in a grimace and I sank to my knees. Planting the bottom of my staff in the earth, I closed my eyes and focused on my greatest fear. Slowly, ever so slowly, the ruby on my staff shimmered to life. The flames prowled even closer, until the edges of my cloak were singed and blackened from the heat. The ruby glowed brighter and brighter, until it was almost unbearable. I felt the same rushing sensation, the same force that had came over me the last time that I had used magic, but this time I fought it down and forced it out of my body and into the flames, coursing through my hands, into my staff, up into the ruby, where it branched out into the fire.

I squeezed my eyes shut even tighter and sent my consciousness out into the fire. I remembered a lesson that I had, a long time ago; Fire is not something that can be handled from a distance. Fire is not some cold, dead thing that can be left alone. Fire is alive, and hungry, and it has a mind of its own. You must control the mind, if you wish to control the flames. Visualising my spirit entering the Fire and filling it up, seizing control of its glowing tendrils, I slowly forced the flames away from me and back into the earth, where the last drops of rain from the storm extinguished the heat.

I shakily climbed to my feet and looked around. The Fire was gone, and the only remenants were wisps of smoke trailing into the sky and an acre of burned grass and trees. The power that had filled me earlier was gone as well, leaving me feeling empty and hollow. Without warning, my knees buckled and I fell to the ground, darkness crashing over me in a relentless wave.